Tableau

This page shows how to set up and use the Tableau destination. The Tableau destination loads data into Tableau Analytics Platform.

The Tableau destination enables you to save data extracted from SAP as Hyper files. It is also possible to upload the Hyper file to Tableau Server or Tableau Online.

Requirements

• Tableau Export Library
• Visual C++ 2015 Runtime

Download the Tableau Export Library and Visual C++ 2015 Runtime

If no Visual C++ 2015 Runtime is installed on your machine, run the vc_redist.x64.exe to install the Visual C++ 2015 Runtime. Copy the tableau folder into your Xtract Universal directory so that the following folder structure is created: C:\Program Files\XtractUniversal\tableau\hyper.

Create a new Tableau Destination

Follow the steps below to add a new Tableau destination to Xtract Universal:

1. In the main window of the Designer, navigate to Server > Manage Destinations. The window “Manage Destinations” opens.
   
2. Click [Add] to create a new destination. The window "Destination Details" opens.
   
3. Enter a Name for the destination.
4. Select the destination type Tableau from the drop-down menu. A list of connection details opens.
5. Fill out the destination details to connect to the destination.
6. Click [OK] to confirm your input.

The destination can now be assigned to extractions.

Destination Details

The destination details define the connection to the destination.

Output directory

Enter the path to a folder on the Xtract Universal Server where the generated Tableau files are stored.

Tableau server

Upload to Tableau Server

Option to upload the extracted file (as a data source) to Tableau Server or Tableau Cloud.

Delete local file after upload

Option to remove the local file after a successful upload.

Host

Enter the IP address or domain name of the remote server, starting with http:// or https://.

PAT name

Enter the name of your Personal Access Token (PAT).
To extract data to Tableau Server the site role "Server Administrator" is required.

PAT secret

Enter a valid token secret that corresponds to your token name.

Site (for Tableau Cloud)

Enter the ID of the site for publishing your data source. This field is mandatory and cannot be left blank.
Get the correct site URL from Tableau Cloud.

[Test Connection]

Check the database connection.

Tableau server settings

Site

A drop-down list of the sites stored on the connected on-prem server. Selecting a site is mandatory for uploading files.

Project

Select the project in which the extracted data is published.

Assign the Tableau Destination to an Extraction

Extractions write data to their assigned destination. Follow the steps below to assign a destination to an extraction:

1. In the main window of the Designer, select an extraction.
2. Click [ Destination]. The window “Destination Settings” opens.
   
3. In the “Destination Settings” window, select a destination from the dropdown list.
   
4. Optional: edit the destination settings.
5. Click [OK] to confirm your input.

When running the extraction, the extracted SAP data is now written to the destination.

Destination Settings

The destination settings only affect the extraction that the destination is assigned to. To open the destination settings, select an extraction in the main window of the Designer and click [ Destination]. The window "Destination Settings" opens.

File Name

Determines the name of the target table. The following options are available:

Append timestamp

Add the timestamp in the UTC format (_YYYY_MM_DD_hh_mm_ss_fff) to the file name of the extraction

Column Name Style

Defines the style of the column name. Following options are available:

Convert dates

Converts the character-type SAP date (YYYYMMDD, e.g., 19900101) to a special date format (YYYY-MM-DD, e.g., 1990-01-01). Target data uses a real date data-type and not the string data-type to store dates.

Year 0

Converts the SAP date 00000000 to the entered value.

Year 9999

Converts the SAP date 9999XXXX to the entered value.

Invalid values

If an SAP date cannot be converted to a valid date format, the invalid date is converted to the entered value. NULL is supported as a value. When converting the SAP date the two special cases 00000000 and 9999XXXX are checked first.

Existing files

If a flat file by the same name already exists in the target directory, the following actions can be taken:

Column Mapping

Activate Column Mapping when appending data to an existing file or entity that has different column names or a different number of columns.
This can be the case when extracting data from two or more extractions into the same destination file, where the column names of the extraction and the destination file differ.

1. When working with flat files, ensure that:
   
   1. the XU server and the Designer both have access to the destination file.
      
   2. the output directory and the file name of the extraction match the destination file.
      
   3. the Column Name Style of the extraction and destination file match.
2. Select the option Append results in the subsection Existing Files.

3. Click [Map] to assign columns. The window "Column Mapping" opens.
   

   • Destination Columns displays the names of the columns that are available in the destination file or entity.
   • Not Mapped defines whether or not columns are mapped to the destination columns.
   • Source Columns defines which SAP column is mapped to a destination column.

   

4. 1. If the column names of the extraction and the names of the destination columns match, click [Auto map by name].
      
   2. If the column names do not match, assign columns manually by selecting the respective SAP column from the dropdown menu under Source Columns.
      
   3. If a column does not have a counterpart or is not supposed to be appended, activate the checkbox under Not Mapped.
      
5. Click [OK] to confirm your input.

When running the extraction the extracted data is added to the destination file or entity as specified in the column mapping.

Related Links

• Webinar: Visualize your SAP data in Tableau
• Knowledge Base Article: Link a BEx query with a Hierarchy in Tableau